Automatic work-feed control for sewing machines



Feb. 23 1926.

1,574,185 E. F. BRIGHAM ET AL AUTOMATIC WORK FEED CONTROL FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Sept. 8, 1923 4 Sheets-Sheetl EL. E NN E ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 23v 1926.

E. F. BRIGHAM ET AL AUTOMATIO WORK FEED CONTROL FOR SEWING MACHINES 4 She'et-s-Sheef 2 l ATTORNEYS Feb. 23 1926.

E. F. BRIGHAM ET AL l AUTOMATIC WORK FEED CONTROL FOR SEWIG MACHINES` Filed Sept. .8, 1923 4 Sheeis-Shetv v x W LA j m )ZINV TORS ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 23 1926. 1,574,185

' E. F. BRIGHAM ET AL' AUTOMATIC WORK lCONTROL FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Sept. 8, 1923 l 4 Sheets-Shed 4 BY Y ATTORNEYS.

Patented Feb. 231926.

` UNITED -STATESrAn-.Nr

A iconPoRATroN lor NEW JERSEY. j

EDWARD F. BRIGHAM' AND JAMES N. DANIELS, OF NEWARK, NEW TERSEYL' .AS-f

SIGNORS TO`BENJAMIN & JOHNES,

ATOMATIC WORK-FEED.' CONTROL AFOIE SEWING MACHINES.

Application sied september. 8,1923'. 'serialA Np. 661,562.

To all 'whom t may concewz'.:

Be itknown that we, EDWARD F. BRIGHAMV and JAMES N. DANmLs, both citizens of the United States, and residents ofNewark, in

` 5 the county of Essex and State of New Jer sey, have invented new and useful'mprovements in AutomaticvWork-Feed Controlfor Sewing Machines, of which the following is a Specification. f

The primary objects, of the invention 'are to-provide a novel machine for sewing impenetrable objects such 'asmetal fasteners,

or objects which it is desired not to pierce with the needle, on garments or., other-material, for instance, 'brassires and under bodices, or stitching an article having an impenetrable,object.therein, or producing a continuous line of stitches of different lengths, and more particularly to provide such/a machine for sewing wire eyelets into the edge seam -of garments or on strips of cloth which are adapted to be secured to the -vedge of an opening v`in, the garment to coedges, and then sew said eyelets on the gan, ment or strips by a line of lstitching'at the edge of said fold or pocket with the wellknown-type of sewing machine. n such an operation the needleV of the sewing machine is frequently broken by striking an -eyelet and thus the sewing operation is retarded, and time and needles'are wasted.

40 Another object ris to provide a' device of the character described controlled by the work for automatically regulating the work y fee vmechanism of a. 'sewing machine to machine.

@ther objects of the invention are to provide a machine for sewingeyelets, or yother impenetrable objects on a piece of cloth or the like 'including means actuated by the cally regulate thework feed mechanism of the machine whereby the movement of work vary Jthe length of the stitches made by thev eyelet .or impenetrable object G?to'automatiaccelerated' when the eyelet or impenetrable object is passing beneath the needle to produce. a long stitch over the eyelet'or 55 object and prevent the needle from engaging;

in which like numerals of reference indicate side elevation and sectional vie-ws showing 30 the work feed operating lever and the means for regulating thespeed ofthe work fed thereby; y f Figure 6v is a fragmentary end elevation of thehead end of the machine'showing the trip mechanism to be actuated by the work;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken onthe line 7 7 of Fig. 6; Figure S is a top plan view ofthe electric switch-mechanism, and o Figure 9- is a transverse lsectional view taken onthe line 9-9 of Fig. 6.

Forthe purpose of illustrating the prin@l ciples of the invention, we haveshown the same `in connection with va known type; of 95.

sewing machine, the'partsfof'said machine 'unnecessary for a completefunderstanding of our invention bein omitted for the sake of clearnes's."v The sa1d .machine includes a- Standard' A carrying at one end' the head B 100 in- .which fis vertically ireciprocable the,`

needlepbar'C. driven from -the,Zusual'drive mechanism. The said head alsov has mountf ed therein the Ausual-presser foot `bar rE carrying at its lower end a presser foot F adapted to engage the work and hold the same against the feed mechanism GJnQunted in the bed H of the machine. We have also shown the invention in connection with sewing a known type of fasl tener strip tothe' edge of a garment, such as a brassire, the said fastener ,strip comprising a base strip a and Va binding'strip .10 b between which arcsecured wire eyelets c \which` project beyond the edges of thebase strip as shown in Figures 6 and 7 to coop- .era-te. with hooks carried by the' opposite edge of the garment. These fastener strips .15 are sewed to the edge of the garment el by means of a line of stitching adjacent the edge of the garment and overlying the eyelets c. Oneobject of our invention is to provide a machine for producing such a line of stitching` e (see Fig. '7) without danger of breakingr the lneedle or the thread contact of the needle with the eyelets, and at the same timeforming one or more -stitches .between the arms of the eyelets whereby the connectionv of the eyelets to the garment is materially strengthened. 4 The-invention may be embodied in any7 suitable work feed mechanism per se, but for simplicity of description and for the purpose 'of illustra-ting onev preferred embodiment ofthe invention,we have shown the same' utilized in connection with av known type of work feed mechanism. This mechanism includes the usual-driveshaft I '35 which is journaled in the standard of the machine and carries at one end a fly wheel .I2 and drive pulley K adapted to be driven by a belt from any suitable source of power. Within the standard A of the machine the A0. drive shaft lis provided with a crank L on which is mounted a bearing block M having diametrically opposite flat bearing surfaces N to receive the inner faces ofthe arms O of the bifurcated end of an' actuating lever P. The other end of said lever is pivotally connected at Q to 'a crank arm R carried by a shaft. S journaled in and extending longitudinally of the bed H of "the machine. The4 said shaft S is also connected. by a 0 second crank T toa feed block U which is in turn.,connected to a crank4 arm V' carried -bya second shaftW arranged parallel to the shaft S and oscillated from the drive shaft I by the usual mechanism (not 5 shown). )In the operation of the 'machine the shafts Sand Ware constantly oscillated, the shaft S serving to move the feed "block U longitudinally and the shaft W serving simultaneously vto raise-` the feed o block through the throat plate X arranged in the bed o-f the machine beneath-the needle and presser foot. The distance of longitudinal movement of the feed block U is adjusted by varying thele'verage of the lever P, so that the speed of movement of the ljects through a-slot CG at work'th'rough the machine is correspondingly varied. For this purpose the lever P is pivotally connected intermediate its ends at Y toione end of a link Z, the other end of which ispivotally connected to one arm of a bell crank AA pivotally connected at BB tothe standard of the machine'. The other arm of said bell crank lever AA prothe front. of the standard of the machine. Thus, by oscillation of the bell cranklever AA by means`- of the arm thereof projecting through the i slot CC, the pivot Y of the lever I is moved toward or away from the crank L to vary thc leverage whereby thel extent of oscillation of the shaft S is correspondingly varied. In the drawings, when the projecting arm of the bell crank lever is at the lower end of the slot CC the feed block U is moved the maximum distance, while when the projecting arm of the bell crank lever is at the upper end of the slot CC the feedblock is moved the minimum distance.j

In accordance with this form of the inventionthe relation of the pivot Y'to the crank .L andA thus the extent of movement of the feed block U, is automatically regulated bythe work passing beneath the needle and moved by the feed block. In the present instance, as above described, the work constitutes the edge of a garment to which a fastener strip carrying metallo'op eyelets -is to be sewed. For this purpose, we have shown the projecting' arm of the bell crank lever AAconnected to one end of a link 1 which is disposed vertically. on the standard vA and is longitudinally reciprocable through a bear'ng bracket 2 rigidly secured to the standard A in any suitable manner. 'The link`.1 is normally influenced upwardly to move the projecting arm of the bell crank lever AA to the upper end 'of the slot by means of altension spring 3 connected be. tween the bell crank lever and the bear'ng bracket 2. In this manner the bell crank lever AA is normally influenced into the position to lproduce Aa minimum movement of the feed block U. -An adjusting nut 4 is threaded on the link 1 beneath-the bearin'g,bracket 2 for the purpose oflimiting the upward movement of the link and thereby normally maintain 'regular uniform move-` ment of the feed block U and thus regular stitches of uniform length. A jam 'nut 5 is also proyidedfor holding the adjusting nut '4 in adjusted position, and a buffer washer 6 is interposed between the adjusting nut and the bearing bracket to reduce noise and shock incident to reciprocation of the link 1.

The upper end of the link 1 carries a cap nut 7 which is adapted to 'frictionally env gage one end of a lever `8 pivotally mounted intermediate its ends at 9 on a bracket 10.

The other end' of said lever 8` is adapted I lo frfcti'onally engage a. crap nut 114 carried AA mounted on the bracket lll,A as shown, When.

by one end of a core 12 mounted in an electromagnetic coil. 13 which is secured by .a

.bracket 14' to the standard of the. machine with the core in substantrally verticalposition.' The bracket l0 may be conveniently fer washer 16.

kThe coil 13- is connected En circuit with a source of electricity and a switch controlled by a tripy mechanism actuated by the work, Ain the present instance by engagement w'th thel eyelets or other objects on the material being sewed. The said trip vmechanism comprises a sleeve 17 sldably mounted on the presser foot ,bary E and held' against rotation by a set screw 18'. The said sleeve is provided with ankarm 19 on which is adjustably mounted by means of set lscrews 20 a bracket 21 carrying at one end a roller 22 adapted to 4engage the work. The sleeve 17 is normally influenced toward the work by means of alcompression spring 23, sa`d movement of the sleeve being limited by the roller 22. The arm '19 is provided with a lateral extenson 24 on which is pivotally 4mounted abell crank lever 25'one end \of which is provided with a. .triv

linger 26 adapted to engage the work while the' other end'carries a4 switch blade 27 adapted to close the c'rcuit through switch plates 28- and 29 connected in circuit with a source of electricity and the elecromagnet 13. The

switch. blade 27 is normally held out of en gagement with the lsw'tch plates 28. and 29 andthe trip Afinger 26 is normally heldin ena gagementwith the work, by means of la spring 49. It will be observed that the lrollen 22 ensures .that thetrip iinger26 will always be so positioned as to mainta`n the switch normally open and will permit the presser foot F tol descend to the work and. accommodate irregularities in the thicknessthereof` without alfecting the operation of the trip ico iinger 26. l

The lateral extension 24 Aoffthearm 19 is preferably slotted as at to receive the pivot l'of the bellcrank lever 25 so that the said pivotl may be adjusted relatively-to thepresser foot to produce proper relation of the trip'iinger 26 and the needle Nlf. In

the present instance'opposite sidesof theI against movement inthe slot by means of a .cap threadedon the studv54.

The switch mechanism may be of any desired construction, but 1n the present instance, is shown as comprising a block 56 of msulation secured to the head of the ma.-

chfne and having thee-onta'ctl plates 28 and 29 mounted thereon in insulated relation by means of i screw 57.

In the operation of the machine the work `is fed beneath the presser foot by thework feed mechanism of the machine and the needle .bar is reciprocated by the usualdrive mechanism. The trip finger 26 is so positioned as vto be engaged by the eyelets c or other object on the work itis desired not to pierce with the needle, and as the` work is fed beneath the presser foot, the eyelets or other objects will be drawn beneath the trip finger 26, as shown in Figures 6 'and 7. The tripinger is thus raised so as to oscillate the bell crank lever and close the circuit through the electromagnet 13, r

' whereupon the said magnet is energized and causes reciprocation of the core 12 upwardly to oscillate the lever 8.' The oscillation of said lever Sfforces 'the link 1 downwardly to adjust the position of the pivot Y of the lever P relative to the crank L as above described. Movement of the link l ,downwardly is limited by means of an adjusting nut 30 adapted to engageV the v top `of the bearing bracket 2. Obviously, by varying the position of the adjusting nut 30 on the .link 1 the extent of movement of the bell crank lever AA can be regulated to provide forl amovement of the feed block U the desired extent. When the llink lis forced downwardly as Vabove described the feed block U is caused to move a greater' extent than the movement'determinedl bythe adjjusting nut 4 so that the speed of movement of the work beneath the needle ofthe machine is accelerated while each arm of the eyelet is passing beneath the needle. Thus the arm off the eyelet is Amoved from beneath theV needle before the latter descends, thereby preventing the possibility `of erf. gagement ofthe heed-le with the eyelet. :A

longer stitch than the regular stitches is thereby produced over. the arm of the eyelet.. It will-beobserved that the acceleration of the feed of the Work lis controlled by lthe trip'I nechanisml which is in turn actuatcd Vby the eyelet or other objectonfthc work,- and that after an eyelet has passed from beneaththetrip finger26 the machine tothe return of4 the work feedinechanismto its normal position by the` spring 3Q 'It .assumes the normal rate of work feed due'l will .further be noted that the needle will descend between 'the arms of the eyelets and form a regular stitch, so that the connection of the eyelets to the material is greatly strengthenec be utilized for takingl up lost, motion between the lever 8, the core 12 and the link l.

The invention is clearly susceptible for use in producinga continuous line of stitches .of different lengths and is not limited in its application to use witlrworl':

carrying eyelets 'or other impenetrable objects as hereiubefore described. Any suitable means might be utilized for controlling energization of the coil 12 at Vpredetermined intervals in place of the trp mechanismherein described, for the purp 'se of accelerating` the speed of .movement of the work feed mechanism at predetermined intervals of time to produce stitches of different lengths.

While we have shown and described our invention embodying certain details of conv struction and used in one way,` it vwill be understood that this is' only for the purpose of illustrating th principles of the 111- vention and that the invention is susce tibh` of execution by means of many di erent the movements 'of said work-feeding means and said nedle having a normal definite re-` means for varying'the movements of said work-feeding means independently of' the movements of said needle, electromag-` lation,

netic means for operating the' last-mentioned means, and electric switch mechanism actuated by variations in the work surface for controlling said electromagnetic means.

f 2. In a'sewing. machine, stitch-forming mechanism including a needle, means 'for actuating the same, andl work-feeding means, the movements ofsaid work-feeding means and said needle having a normaldef';y

inite relation, means for varyinglthe move ments of said work-feeding means-independently of the movementsof-said needle, and means constantly in engagement v with .the work and actuated Surface` for controlling theulast-mentioned means.l v

` 3. In a sewing mechanism including a needle, means .for actuating the same, and work-Pfeedmg means, the movements of said work-,feeding means.

The cap nuts 7 and 11 mayv byvariations in the work machine, stitch-forming and said needle` havinga normal definite relation, means forwarying the movementsof said work-feeding. means independently Aof. the movements o said needle, power means v for operating the last-.mentioned means, and

means actuated by variations in the work surface for controlling said power means.

4. A machine lof the character described including a needle, means for actuatingl the v same, means for feeding work through saidv machine to be operated upon by-said needle,"

the movements of said work feeding means and said needle having a-normal detinitere-l lation, and means controlled by the work for automatically varying the'movement of said. work feeding means.

5. A sewing machine for operating on work having projections thereon, includinga needle, means for actuating the same, means for feeding said work through said machine, and means coatrolledby engagement with said projections on said work for automatically varying the Imovement of said work-feeding means.

G. A sewing machine-for operatingupon work having an object to be sewed` thereon, including a needle, means for actuating the same, mea-ns for feeding said work through said machine, and means controlled by engagement with'said object for varying the -actuation of said work-feeding means to aol vary the speed of movement of the work' and prevent contact of said needle with said object,

said machine,- and means controlled by engagement with said eyelet for automatically.

varying the actuation of said work-feeding means to vary the speed of movement of the work to `prevent contact of said needle with the arms of sa-id/eyelet and permit said `needle to form a stitch between the arms of thee'yelet.

8. -A.,machine ofthe character described including a work feed mechanism, .means for actuating the same, means for `varymg the actuationof said mechanism by said actuating means, 'and automatic -means controlled by the Work for actuating said varying means at predetermined intervals.

9. In a sewing, machine for operating upon work fhaving projections thereon, the combination of a work feed mechanism, means for actuating the sam'e,^means for varying( the actuation of said mechanism by said actuating means, and means automatically controlled by engagement with said projections on the work for actuatin said means? for. varyingfsaidl work feeil mechanismact'uating means.

w10. In a sewing machine for operating upon work having' projections thereonthfi sewing machine for operating om Uworkhaving a wire loop eyelet` thereon, 'including a needle, means .for actuating .the same, means for `fee'dingsaid work through radapted to be engaged by said projections conbination of a work feed mechanism, means for actuating the same, means for varying the actuation of said mechanism by said actuating means, and trip mechanism upon work having projections thereon, the

combination of a work feed mechanism; means for actuating the same, means for varylng the actuatlon of said mechanism `by.

said actuating means, means actuated by power independent of saidv machine actuating means for operating said means for varying the. actuation of said Work feed mechanlsm, and means actuated by engagement with said projections for controlling said last-mentioned means. f

12. In a sewing machine of the character described, the combination of a work feed' mechanism, means for actuating the same, means for varying the actuation of said work feed mechanism .by said actuating means,.electromagnetic means for operating said varyin mieans, andy means for automatically controlling operation of said electromagnetic means. Y

13. In a sewing machine of the character described, the combination of a work. feed mechanism, means for` actuating the same, means for varying the actuatlonof said work feed mechanismv by said actuating means, electromagneticmeans for operating said varying means, and means for automatically controlling operation' of said electromagnetic means at predetermined intervals.

414a In `a sewing machine of. the character described, the combination of a work feed mechanism, means for actuating the same.- means for varying the actuation of said Work feed mechanism by said actuating. means, electromagnetic means for operating said varying Ameans, and electric switch means actuated -by work ,passing through the machine for automatically controlling operation of said electromagnetic means,

15. In a sewing machine of the4 character described, the combination vof a workfeed mechanism, means for actuating the same, electromagnetic means for varying the actuation of said work feed mechanism, and means for automatically controlling opera- V tion of said electromagnetic means.

16. In a sewing machine of the character described, the l'combination ofa work feed mechanism, means for actuating vthe same, means for varying thefactuation.v of said work feed mechanism by said actuating means, an electromagnet, an` operative connection between said electromagnet and said varying means, a source "of electricity connected to said electromagnet, endian automatically actuated electric'switchfor controlling the operation of said electromagnet' .by said source .of electricity. f

17. In a sewing machine for operating on work having projections thereon,vthe coI'n-.

bination of a work feed mechanism, means for actuating the same, electromagnetic means for Varying the actuation of said feed l mechanism, and electric vswitch mechanism actuated by engagement with said rojectionson the work as the work passes th) the machine for controlling operation of said electromagnetic means. v

18. In a machine of the character derough scribed for operating upon work havinga plurality of combination anism having spaced projections thereon, the of a stitch producing mecha reciprocating needle, means for feeding said work beneath said needle normally at a uniform speed, and means controlled by engagement with s aid projection on the work for automatically accelerating the speed of `movement of said workwhen one of said projections is pass-` ing beneath said needle. u

19. In a sewing machine for operating upon work having wire'loop `eyelets thereon, a stitch-forming mechanism including' a needle, means for actuating the needle, and means for feeding the workbeneath the vneedle -hormally at a uniform speed,-nieans for accelerating the speed of movement of the work, eyelets as the latter approach the path of the needle to control the last-mentioned means whereby the movement of the work is and means to be engaged by said accelerated while an e'yelet is passing bet neath the needle to prevent contact of the needle withsaid eyelets.

20. In a sewing machine for operating upon work having wire loop Aeyelets thereon, a Astitch-forming mechanism `in cludin needle, means for actuating the needle, and means for feeding the work beneath the needle normally at uniformy speed,^means for accelerating the speed of movement of the work, a trip mechanism for controlling I the last-mentioned means and yincluding a `trip finger in the 4path of and to be actuated ,"by said eyelets, said trip finger being of a size tofenter between ,the arms of each of said eyelets, whereby the movement of the work is temporarily acbelerated as an arm of an 'eyelet passes beneath the needle and again retarded to normal speed to permit' at least one stitch to be the armsof each eyelet.

' 21; The combination with a sewing machine including a needle, means for actuating the. needle, work-feeding means, and means for, varying movement of said feed-ing means, o fa power cperated means formed between connectedto said work-'feed varying meansl to Aactuate the same forvvvarying the'speed work- I controlling saidelectromagnetic v Joperative connection between sai of movement of the work, ated by variations `in 'the work surfacefor automatically controlling said power means.

22. The combination with a sewing machine including a frame, a needle means for actuating the needlef, work-feeding means, and means for varying movement of said 'iWork-feeding means, of an electromagnetic means mcunted on said frame, an

electromagnetic means and said work-feed` varying means, and electric switch mechanis actu-- ated by variations in the Work surface for means. 23.'The combination with a sewing ma.- chine including a drivef shaft, 'a needle, F`work-feed means, an operative connection between said needle and -said drive shaft,

and an operative connection between said dr-ive shaft and said work-feed'means including a leverconnected between said shaft andthe work-feed means and pivoted intermediate? its ends on a bell-crank 4lever so -that pivotal movement of said bell-crank lever varies the speed ofrmoveme'nt of the and means actuwork, of ower means operatively connected to said be l-crank lever to oscillate the same, and means for controlling said power means.

24. The combination set forth in claim in which the last-mentioned means is actuated by vari-ations in the -work surface.

,25. The combination with asewing machine including a drive shaft, a needle, work-feed means, an operative connection between said needle and said drive shaft, and an operative connection between said drive shaft and said work-feed means including av lever connected between said shaftfand the work-feed means and ivoted' intermedateits ends on a bell-cranlever so that pivotal movement of said bell-crank lever varies the speed of movement 4of the work, of power means operatively connected to said `*bell-crank lever to oscillate the same, and means for causing pivotal move-` ment ofk sjald bell-crank lever by said v power means. v

EDWARD F. BRIGHAM. JAMES N. DAMELS. 

